Gene Snow

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Gene Snow was an American racing driver who pioneered funny cars ine the 1960s, 70's and 80's, bringing innovations such as a direct drive system using multiple clutches when rivals were still using automatic transmissions based on those used in production models. He was ranked #26 on NHRA's Top 50 drivers in 2001. Originally an engineering student, he opened a used car dealership and drag raced cars from the dealership to promote his business. After each win, he sold the car the next day, which gained him more attention. This led to him taking racing more seriously. He moved over to MOPAR by 1963, running a Plymouth Sport Fury. As the 1960s progressed, Snow developed innovations such as stretching the wheelbase to improve handling, which lead to several class wins in 1966-'67. Stretching the chassis was his seminal contribution to the new Fuel Coupe, aka Funny Car class, which evolved out of the Altered wheelbase Factory Experimental (aka "FX") and super stock classes. Although funny car was not a class recognized by the National Hot Rod Association, Snow was allowed to run in the dragster classes, where he ran a 9.04 second quarter mile ET. He repeated he success in 1967, running an 8.67 second quarter-mile ET in the new Super Eliminator class. By 1968, he went to the gasoline burning classes and won B/Altered (a class for modified production vehicles).

Subject ID: 11695

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Gene Snow was an American racing driver who pioneered funny cars ine the 1960s, 70's and 80's, bringing innovations such as a direct drive system using multiple clutches when rivals were still using automatic transmissions based on those used in production models. He was ranked #26 on NHRA's Top 50 drivers in 2001. Originally an engineering student, he opened a used car dealership and drag raced cars from the dealership to promote his business. After each win, he sold the car the next day, which gained him more attention. This led to him taking racing more seriously. He moved over to MOPAR by 1963, running a Plymouth Sport Fury. As the 1960s progressed, Snow developed innovations such as stretching the wheelbase to improve handling, which lead to several class wins in 1966-'67. Stretching the chassis was his seminal contribution to the new Fuel Coupe, aka Funny Car class, which evolved out of the Altered wheelbase Factory Experimental (aka "FX") and super stock classes. Although funny car was not a class recognized by the National Hot Rod Association, Snow was allowed to run in the dragster classes, where he ran a 9.04 second quarter mile ET. He repeated he success in 1967, running an 8.67 second quarter-mile ET in the new Super Eliminator class. By 1968, he went to the gasoline burning classes and won B/Altered (a class for modified production vehicles).

Subject ID: 11695

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Subject ID: 11695